The fellowship rode once more through the cloudy Redbark grove toward the forbidden Surrinak lands and the noble family's hunting lodge. They opened the hearth millstone and descended once more into the second sliver of Slaughtergarde, this time with some help. They are now accompanied by Brilliant Towerlight, a half-elven paladin of Pholtus, short of stature, yet bold of voice and looking for glory. Saille had previously convinced him that this was his big chance to "save the world!" Jalis too has returned to fight alongside his old companions against the evils of Slaughtergarde, having recovered from his harrowing captivity with the wererats of Sumberton.
Ready to face the possibility of having to close a gate to the netherworld, they walked down the steps leading into a tapestry hall. The fellowship finds that the guard has been doubled since last they were here. After a brief exchange of threats and arrows, three of the half-drow guards are killed, with the last one taken prisoner. Despite polite attempts at interrogation the fellowship learns nothing from the stern tight-lipped half-drow guard.
The fellowship decides to turn south through double copper doors, following the sounds of a hammer cracking stone. They find themselves facing two blind, almost-naked humanoids filling canteens from a spring bubbling up from the cracked masonry. They take up stone axes despite their blindness and deal several hard blows to the dwarves, Draphnir in particular, before being defeated. The fellows notice a mosaic in the floor of clawed foot prints walking from the east, also the direction from which the hammer falls on stone are coming. They head that way… tracing back along the path of the mosaic footprints.
They then enter an octagonal shrine dedicated to the seeming worship of snakes or perhaps a long forgotten snake god. They have little time to ascertain ...